Quilt block · Pinwheels · Intermediate
Betty’s Delight quilt block
Four quarters turn round the center, each a dark and light half-square triangle framed by trapezoids and a small square, so dark and light blades whirl together.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1¼″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1¼″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Betty’s Delight’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 4″ × 1⅝″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1⅝″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 4″ × 1⅝″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1⅝″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Betty’s Delight’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids, 4 squares and 4 triangles
- C2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 2″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Betty’s Delight’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Background B square together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B square and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Background B square together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B square and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 5″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Background B square together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B square and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 6½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 8 × 8 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 8 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 32 pieces in 3 different shapes and 9 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.